Ten Cars that Flopped
Since around the 1900's, the automotive industry has strived to increase its production with innovative improvements and advanced technology. This trend of auto manufacturing development also sparked the onslaught of vehicle concept tragedies.
In 1899, one of the first ridiculous attempts to evolve was the concept of the Horsey Horseless. As many still rode in horse drawn carriages, the Horseless vehicle featured a "realistic", plastic horse head on the front. The intention was to prevent the skittish reactions of passing horses, as they would just notice a friend of their own kind. Aside from its purpose of deception, the horse head also seemed to be the logical place to store fuelright in front of the passengers.
When German automobile manufacturers united a second-rate land vehicle with a deficiently functioning water mobile, they produced the Amphicar. This "innovation" was an attempt to seamlessly mesh land and sea travel, and sales were projected at 20,000 vehicles per year. With an under average rating of 43 horsepower, and top speed of seven miles per hour on water, the Amphicar came up short as a boat and a car. After four years, the production company folded, producing less than 3,900 of these floating failures.
In 1962, the Peel Trident was created. This "futuristic" car boasted an electric engine that offered a whopping 100 miles per gallon. Powered by a 12-volt battery, the 4'2" two-seater was introduced as the smallest automobile in the world. With its grocery-cart wheels and clear bubble-dome roof, many adults would be less embarrassed driving a tricycle down the road.
The Ford Pinto was a lightweight, rear wheel drive, deathtrap. Sporting a petite, four-cylinder engine, this car produced an inadequate 75 horsepower. It was styled like a downsized station wagon, and had a tendency to burst into flames when rear-ended. The doors would also jam shut due to faulty frame reinforcement and collision impact, leaving passengers trapped inside a metal box of fiery doom.
In 1975, AMC introduced their latest competitive vehicle, the Pacer. Marketed as a compact car with reasonable passenger room, designers' intentions were to unveil unique, ultramodern styling. Unfortunately, the completed product revealed an unsightly box frame with raised-dimension headlights, yet a rounded, fishbowl rear end. This mini "Frankenstein" also outweighed other cars almost twice its size. At over 3000 pounds, it offered an unacceptable 16 miles per gallon, negating the reason for even owning a compact vehicle. Visually and functionally a manufacturing mistake, the Pacer's production ended in less than five years.
The Triumph TR7/8 was a European car introduced in 1975. Initially, the aerodynamic styling and abundance of power portrayed a surefire success. Unfortunately, mechanical quality wasn't a factor in its production. Flimsy carburetors, faulty oil and water pumps, and snapping time chains were among the many technical glitches of the Triumph. With its leaky sunroofs and often-jammed retractable headlights, this "classic" was better kept in the garage.
Zastava introduced the Yugo in 1978, and it was basically a lightweight tin can on wheels. In 1989, a Michigan woman was actually blown off a bridge in her Yugo by a 50-mile per hour gust. The Yugo was so cheap that the manufacturer actually spent more on advertising than production. This subcompact seemed to be a steal, but even with the added luxuries of three-speed automatic and cup holders, failing to meet national emissions standards ended production of the Yugo.
With rising pollution in the late 1970's came a more strict protocol for emissions standards. This put a temporary, but devastating damper on the massive muscle of our American spirit, the Corvette. Not fully the fault of Chevrolet, the company was forced to emasculate the Corvette's power plant to a miniscule 180-horse power. Along with a three speed automatic transmission, the 1980 Corvette's authority was further restricted by a strangled exhaust system. Fortunately, modern engineers have evolved the Corvette into one of the fastest production vehicles on the road today.
The 1981 DMC Delorean combined the aspects of a miniature, stainless steel tank, with the power of an economy car. Its shiny luster, sleek styling, and wing doors conveyed a futuristic speed machine, although one would have a better chance at the drag way in a Ford Escort. It was difficult to leave even a small dent in the solid, metal paneling; which made up for the large dent it left in the consumer's wallet.
The Aztek was General Motors' first crossover SUV. It was to be the "most versatile vehicle in the world", but was voted "ugliest automobile on the planet" at its unveiling. Aside from an over abundance of ill-placed, front-end lighting and hideous hood nostrils, The Aztek looks as if GM may have ran out of metal paneling and replaced it with cheap plastic. It also featured an excessively clustered array of interior dials and gadgets. With the large amount of designers working on this project, a functional compromise would have increased chances for the vehicle's success. Instead, they just "threw it all in there".